CITY OF NEWARK EXTENDING “CODE BLUE” FEBRUARY 3, TO FEBRUARY 7 @ 9AM

Mayor Ras J. Baraka and Department of Health and Community Wellness Director Ketlen Baptiste Alsbrook are extending “Code Blue” for Newark from 8 p.m., Monday, February 3, to 9 a.m., Friday, February 7. During this period, temperatures are expected to drop to a low of 25°F.

A “Code Blue” is a Cold Weather Health Warning usually issued when temperatures drop to 32°F or the wind chill factor is 0°. Residents are reminded to continue being cautious during extreme cold weather.

The Health Department urges Newark residents to take precautions against the serious illnesses that can arise from extreme cold, particularly for vulnerable populations such as seniors and individuals with chronic health issues or mental health conditions. Citizens are also encouraged to check on their neighbors who may be isolated from friends and family.

The City of Newark Housing Code requires all property owners to supply heat from October 1 through May 1 between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. at a minimum inside temperature of 68°F and between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. at a minimum inside temperature of 65°F. To report no heat or hot water in your home, call the Division of Code Enforcement at (973) 733-6471.

The Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services and its partners are dedicated to helping residents in need during a “Code Blue.” Shelters will be open during extended hours and will increase their bed capacity. Street outreach workers are available from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week, to reach out to individuals without addresses and encourage them to enter emergency shelters or visit drop-in or warming centers.

If you see someone unsheltered and needing non-emergency services, please text “Path Home” to 855-11. This message will be sent to street outreach teams, who will locate the individual and offer assistance. For more information about sheltering services, please get in touch with one of the shelters listed below or reach the Office of Homeless Services at (973) 877- 9481, available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Shelter	Address and Phone Number	Population Served
Miller Street Pathways to Housing Center	41 Miller StreetNewark, NJ(862) 229-4461	Families Only
H.E.L.P. Center	224 Sussex AvenueNewark, NJ(973) 705-7200	Adults only

Newark residents with insufficient heating at home can visit the following recreational centers during designated hours:

RECREATIONAL CENTERS FALL/WINTER HOURS 

(Open to all Newark Residents)

Central Ward	Site Address	Hours	Contact Information
Hayes Park West	179 Boyd Street Newark, NJ	Monday – Friday 9:30 a.m. 6:30 p.m.	Marquita Harris(973) 733-3959
JFK Recreation Center	211 West Kinney Street (entrance on Howard Street)Newark, NJ	Monday- Friday6:30 am – 7:30 p.m. Saturday9:30 a.m. -5:30 p.m.	Brittany Taylor(973) 715-2603
East Ward
Kenneth Gibson Sharpe James Recreation Center	226 Rome Street Newark, NJ	Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m.Saturday9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.	Luis Ortiz(973) 733-3707
North Ward
Vince Lombardi Center of Hope	201 Bloomfield AvenueNewark, NJ	Monday – Friday8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.	Kia Goodwin (973) 482-5439
Rotunda Recreational Center	75 Clifton AvenueNewark, NJ	Tuesday- Friday11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.Saturday9:30 a.m. –5:30 p.m.	Mark Ceasar (973) 733-3677
South Ward
St. Peter’s Recreation Center/Bo Porter Sports Complex	378 Lyons AvenueNewark, NJ	Monday- Friday11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Saturday9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.	Maliah Worsley(973) 733-8006
Temple of Hip Hop	55 Ludlow StreetNewark NJ	Monday- Friday8:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Saturday9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.	Bernard Chase(862) 810-0058
West Ward
Boylan Recreation Center	916 South Orange AvenueNewark, NJ	Monday- Friday8:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Saturday9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.	Andre Robinson (973) 733-8947

The City offers the following tips on keeping homes safe and coping with extreme winter weather:

• Keep the house heated to a minimum of 68°F. The temperatures inside the walls where the pipes are located is substantially colder than the walls themselves. A temperature lower than 68°F will not keep the inside walls from freezing.
• Open hot and cold faucets enough to let them drip slowly. Keeping water moving within the pipes will prevent them from freezing.
• Check on seniors to make sure that they are warm and dry.
• Stay indoors as much as possible.
• Check all windows and doors for drafts. Place plastic if you feel a draft.
• Do not leave space heaters unattended.
• Do not use generators indoors.
• It is illegal to use kerosene heaters indoors.
• Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.
• Have a three-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
• Never use your oven to heat your home.
• Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
• Take inventory of emergency items.

-NEWARK-

For more information on the City of Newark, please visit our website at www.newarknj.gov